Sound land administration and sustainable land management are indispensable for economic, social and environmental development. They are also vital for good governance.

The Working Party on Land Administration (WPLA) is an intergovernmental group of experts and policy officials from UNECE member countries. It works to improve land administration and management in the UNECE region through activities based on cooperation and the exchange of experiences between all countries in the UNECE region.

It provides a venue for sharing knowledge and fostering discussion between Governments. Every two years, the WPLA meets to set policy and direct the work of the UNECE in land management; its ninth session was held in Geneva in February 2015 and helped to provide an international platform for a high-level exchange on issues related to land administration and management. In between sessions, the WPLA Bureau works year-round to fulfil the mandates of the WPLA.

The WPLA focuses on strategies to develop better land management systems by improving cadastre and land registry systems and by:

Facilitating experience sharing and knowledge exchange. Through a series of workshops hosted by UNECE member States, usually in cooperation with an international organization partner, the Working Party promotes international learning and cooperation. Collecting and sharing data on land management systems throughout the UNECE region.